New Penalties for Drink and Drug Driving in Victoria to Commence on 30 April 2018

Friday 27 April 2018 @ 11.45 a.m. | Crime | Legal Research

The Road Safety (Drivers) and (General) Amendment (Behaviour Change Program and Other Matters) Regulations 2018 (SR 47 of 2018) (Vic) will come into effect on 30 April 2018. This Regulation will make miscellaneous amendments to:

  • Road Safety (Drivers) Regulations 2009 (SR 95 of 2009) (Vic); and
  • Road Safety (General) Regulations 2009 (SR 115 of 2009) (Vic).

The amendments are a consequence of the enactment of the Transport Legislation Amendment (Road Safety, Rail and Other Matters) Act 2017 (Act 68 of 2017) (Vic).

The Victoria Government envisages that the new legislation will implement the strongest penalties for drink and drug driving in Australia, which is part of sweeping changes to improve road safety and stamp out dangerous driver behaviour.

See previous TimeBase article for further reading on this legislation.

Overview of the Changes

According to a Victoria Government Media Release, from 30 April 2018 the following changes will come into place:

  • all drink drivers (including first time offenders) recording a blood alcohol reading of between 0.05 and .069 over will lose their licences for a minimum of three months;
  • all drink drivers will face mandatory interlock conditions for a minimum of six months;
  • all drink and drug drivers will be required to participate in a behaviour change program;
  • Victorian drivers convicted of drink or drug driving interstate will be subject to Victorian drink-driving penalties; and
  • licence suspensions for drivers detected with illicit substances in their system will increase from three to six months and from six to 12 months for repeat offenders.

The changes are part of Victoria’s “Towards Zero” strategy, with its aim of reducing the number of lives lost on Victoria roads to 200 or fewer and serious injuries reduced to 15% by 2020.

Reaction to the Changes

Minister for Roads and Road Safety, the Hon Luke Donnellan MP commented in a Media Release:

“We make no apologies for stamping out this dangerous behaviour – and these new changes will get dangerous drink and drug drivers off our roads … These laws send a strong message that there’s no excuse for drink or drug driving, which puts the safety of the other drivers and the wider community at risk.”

Ms Robyn Seymour, VicRoads Acting Deputy CEO also commented in a Media Release:

“Research has shown licence bans reduce repeat drink driving offences by 70% while fitting an alcohol interlock device cuts repeat offences by 63 per cent – that is a major benefit for road safety.”

TimeBase is an independent, privately owned Australian legal publisher specialising in the online delivery of accurate, comprehensive and innovative legislation research tools including LawOne and unique Point-in-Time Products. Nothing on this website should be construed as legal advice and does not substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.

Sources:

Towards Zero Strategy – towardszero.vic.gov.au (Accessed 27 April 2018)

Road Safety (Drivers) and (General) Amendment (Behaviour Change Program and Other Matters) Regulations 2018 (SR 47 of 2018) (Vic) - TimeBase LawOne Service

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